Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1887-04-21
LINooLNs REMAINS RBMoYED


hOUhh MhtuFAts
SPRrsoFIELD, ILL.,, April 14.-The re-
mains of President and Mrs. LINCOLN
were privately taken from their secret
resting place this morning and inferred
in the north vault of the LINCOLN monu-
ment In Oak Ridge cemetery, near this
city. Less than a dozen persons, MEM
bers of the Lincoln Monument Asspcia-
ton and Lincoln Guard of Honor, were
present. For years the whereabouts Of
the remains of the great President and
his wife has been vested In mystery from
anxiety that they would be stolen to OBJ
tain huge ransom for their return. The
actual attempts carry of the bodies in
1876 was the moving cause of the forina-
tion of the guard of honor, which organi-
cation secreted them and to-day surTen-
dered the charge. Great care was taken
to keep the event of this morning pro-
found secret. At the appointed hour
few besides the little knot of guards
were present. The secret grave was
directly under the north base of the
obelisk, about 80 feet from the north
entrance, but only accessible through the
south door. A door ON the north side of
the hole where the Lincoln relics ARE
kept, leads through long, dark pAsr'age;
first east, then north, then west and then
south to o recess. Here, about three feet
below the surface of the floor, were de-
posted the remains of Abraham LiDcoln
and his wife. The body OF AIR. Lincoln
was in a walnut coffin, lined with an air.
tight lead lining about one.eighth of
an inch thick The walnut coffin
waa in cedar box, and the
cedar box was inclosed in pine box.
Mrs. Lincoln's remains were similarly in
closed. twenty-five years ago to-day
Lincoln was shot. When the guards,
with the help OF few laborers, had ex-
humed the coffins, and the lid of the
1 Presidents was removed, his face was
seen to be in o remarkable state of preser.
| yatiou. Those who stood around, and
| had known lincoln when alive, easily
iiscerned the features. They were very
distinct. The silver plate on the eottir
lid was bright. Omit was inscribed the
following:
ABRAHAM LINCOLN,
Sixteenth President United States.
Born February II, 1909; died April 16, 1866
While the remains of Mr.. Lincoln wer'
exposed to view, General Reese, ,presiden
of the Guards of Honor, turned the re
bmains of Mr.. Lincoln over to the Llnooii
Monument Association. A certificate wa
signed by the members of the Guards o
Honor, certifying that the remains in tn
coffin were those received from the Lin
coin Monument Association in 1873. Th
monument association made out certif
cate, signed by the members for the re
cords Of the associHtion, declaring the re
mai, to be those uf Abraham lincoln.
Tie undertaken was then directed =
seal the coffin, and plumber sealed
1p. The coffin was taken out by tn
! gorkmen and carried around TO the yaul
: in the north side. The members of th
two associations and stranger or tw
who happened to be looking at the NOR
ument followed. In the north vault th
floor had been taken up. A hole, 5 fe'
long by wide aud 81 deep, bricked u
and oemented, had been prepared. TIL
Presidents coffin was placed in thi
: grave, on the west side. The coffin COZ
tanning Mrs. Lineoln's remains, whic
had been brought from the secret gray
. before the other ccffin, waB then brOugl
, to the vault and placed on the east SIC
t of her husband. A brick arch was The
r built over the coffins. This was coyert
9 with cement, mixed with small broke
9 rock. Two guards will ba on duty et u
b tomb until the cement becomes har,
. The marble sarcophagus, in which u
= public have supposed the remains 10 b
O is still in the vault.